


Luther

by Monster Shower Thoughts (The_Lady_Drake)



Series: The Wolfmen Brides [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Embedded Images, F/M, Fantasy, Human/Monster Romance, Mating Rituals, Monster Brides, Reader-Insert Placeholder, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27343699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Lady_Drake/pseuds/Monster%20Shower%20Thoughts
Summary: Adelise's life is forever changed when an ancient courtship ritual tears her away from her quaint village to become the bride of a Wolfman from the neighboring mountain tribe. Unhappy with the arranged marriage, she has no intention of making things easy on Luther, her husband-to-be - Even if he IS pretty handsome, even for a wolf.[First in my series of wolfmen monster bride stories. Rating and tags may change as later chapters are added. No A/B/O themes, even though they are wolf monsters.]
Relationships: Original Female Character(s)/Original Non-Human Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: The Wolfmen Brides [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1996741
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Luther

**Author's Note:**

> I have no explanation for this, other than I was reading about the Werewolves of Ossory and thinking about monster brides, and somehow the two streams crossed and now I'm writing a whole series of short fics.
> 
> Adelise is meant to be a reader-insert/MC placeholder so that the work isn't plagued with "Y/N"s every few sentences. Artwork of Luther was drawn by me!
> 
> Thanks to my beta readers from the Monster Lover's discord for your help!

Every ten or seventeen years, when the winds became chilled with the death of autumn and the last harvests of the season were collected, a wolf would descend from the snow-capped mountains in the dead of night and enter one the villages in the valley below. It then left a dead bird, rabbit, or other small offering at the front step of one chosen house. In one week’s time, the wolf would return, and the eldest daughter of that household would be taken up the mountain and made into his bride. In the years following, the humans would be free of any attacks to their cattle, and the household of the wolf’s bride would be blessed with the bounty of the game and foraging that the forest had to offer. If the wolf’s choice of bride was refused, however, the village would lose the favor of the wolf chief, and suffer from the misfortune of being without their protection from the dangers of the mountain.

It was an ages-old tradition that began back when the first humans settled in the valley, and a story many were familiar with since the days of childhood; The wolf tribes of the land agreed to let the humans stay near their settlement, in exchange for offering a daughter for one of their lupine warriors - or sometimes a son for a she-wolf, in some cases of the story - to marry and carry on their legacy.

As a kid, there was a sort of mythical romance of being taken away in the arms of a great wolf; but as a blossoming woman in her young adulthood, Adelise was far from impressed at the thought of essentially being sold off to a beast at the price of some small game. In her bed, she laid wide awake at night, any sound of a wolf’s howl enough to keep her tossing and turning no matter how distant it was. She had begged her father for one of his old hunting knives to keep at her side in case a wolf ever tried to abduct her. She even hung a sprig of wolfsbane and a charm of silver over her bed frame as if it would ward away any canid suitors.

Alas, her precautions only seemed to tempt fate’s design, as the morning came in her 20th year when her father found a poached rabbit on the stoop of their home. As the oldest daughter of a wary and superstitious hunter, he remorsefully informed Adelise to begin saying her goodbyes and pack away whatever belongings she wished to keep.

The following week was nothing short of miserable for Adelise. She felt as though she were a walking corpse preparing for her own funeral, rather than a bride approaching her wedding day, as her friends and younger brothers all gave her their last goodbyes and best wishes. All she could do was count down the days to the fated arrival of her would-be groom.

The day of the wolf’s retrieval of his bride came with dark clouds and a freezing wind that swept down into the valley, bringing a chill to everyone that had gathered in the square. As per tradition, the friends and family of the bride were there to see her off and to wish for the wolves to favor their homes as well (a selfish act, Adelise thought judgingly, especially upon their poor daughters). People huddled together as the air grew colder, and a few flurries fell from the dark clouds above.

Then, after what felt like an eternity of agonizing waiting, the wolf came at high noon.

He was different from what Adelise had expected; rather, she had always imagined the wolf to be a wolf, verbatim, a beast that skulked on all fours. Instead, this wolf walked upright, much like a man. He was even dressed up like one, the bright robin’s egg blue of the tunic beneath his cloak contrasting with the coppery highlights of his brown fur and black leggings. The top of his head sprouted long flaxen locks between two pointed, fuzzy ears, the bangs windswept around his long muzzle that ended with a pointed wolf’s nose.

In all honesty, he didn’t look so bad. Perhaps, in the eyes of some, he even appeared to be handsome. But Adelise would not let herself be swayed by looks alone, especially not for a wolf.

“I am Luther,” the wolf spoke, his voice somewhat accented from the way his jowls moved to form the words. “I am a warrior of the Frozen Claw, proud tribe of the Grey Timber mountains. I have come to collect my bride.”

“Here she is, wolfen warrior,” Adelise stumbled slightly as her father nudged her forward, presenting her to Luther. “Her name is Adelise, and she is my eldest and only daughter. I hope that you find her to be a suitable wife.”

Fighting the urge to turn her head and scowl at her father, Adelise slowly crossed the space between her and the wolfman. Upon reaching Luther, she noticed how he easily towered over her - he had to be at least eight feet tall in height - and even the maple-leaf orange color of his eyes. He stared at her down the length of his muzzle before reaching beneath his cloak and producing another, smaller cloak lined with fur on the inside, draping it around her shoulders. Adelise flinched as she adjusted to the weight of the new layer, but she was surprised at how quickly she felt herself begin to warm up as he tied it together for her in the front.

“The air is growing colder, and we have a long hike back up the mountain. We can’t have you freezing to death before we get to the fort,” Luther explained to her, one of his massive pawlike hands gently pulling the hood over her head once he was finished.

Adelise felt a strange sense of conflict within her, taken aback by the wolfman’s kind gesture, while still guarded against him because of the stupid ritualistic tradition that had caused her so much grief. She saw the brow of Luther’s eyeline bend, mirroring something akin to perplexion on his wolfen features.

“Is there something wrong, Adelise?” He asked.

Adelise opened her mouth slightly, but the words she wished to say died within her throat. She shook her head. “... Shouldn’t we be going?” She asked, her voice soft but bitterly resigned.

Luther stared at her a moment longer, before he raised his gaze over her head and gave her father a solemn nod. “The pact between our villages is honored once more; you and your people will be protected for another ten years.” He turned from the crowd, a paw resting on her upper back as he guided her out of the village.  
As they left, Adelise spared herself one last glance back at her father, her friends, and the village that she had always called home. She wondered if she would ever see any of the people there ever again, their faces already growing indistinct as her future husband took her away and up the mountain pass.

\--

Adelise and Luther fell into an awkward silence as they walked, Adelise not so much as glancing at the wolf as she gave him the cold shoulder the entire way. Occasionally she caught him turning his head her way in her peripheral vision, before letting out a low growl or sigh and turning his head away. It wasn’t as if she owed him anything, so she was convinced that the upset feeling in her stomach was due to the rising elevation, and absolutely not any kind of guilt for ignoring him. It wasn’t like she chose to become his bride, after all.

The snow flurries continued to fall, more and more sticking to the ground as they ascended up the mountain pass and the sun sank lower in the west. The great fir trees outlined the muddy red sky above as they finally reached their destination. A fortress wall made of stone brick and great timber logs walled off the camp inside, three tattered banners of blue and silver waving in the wind on tall poles above the gates. Near the gateway there stood a lone guard; A wolf with a brilliant silvery-white fur coat, wearing protective eye goggles and a blue scarf over a leather chestpiece.

“The mighty Alpha returns,” The wolf gave a characteristic grin to Luther as they approached, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed casually across his armored chest. Adelise saw the knife strapped to his hip and thigh before quickly averting her eyes to the wolf’s face, who seemed to grow amused at her sudden alertness. “And you brought back a little lady with you. She’s cute. Guess you got lucky with who you picked, didn’t you?”

“Mind your manners, Ardent,” Luther growled softly from besides Adelise, and though the white wolf remained casual, he visibly backed down from the display of power. “Where is Vex?”

“He’s inside,” Ardent replied, cocking his head with a twitch of his ear as he gestured within the gate. “He’s probably with Axel at the forge. You know how nitpicky he is with the upkeep of his armor, especially when among honored guests,” He winked to Adelise before standing upright, walking with her and Luther inside the fortress gate. The encampment inside was… small, with a handful of cobbled stone and log cabins scattered around the edges, while a slightly more impressive fortress of stone block sat in the very back of the plot.

Near the fort was the telltale glow of a steelwork forge, the sharp ring of a hammer striking an anvil ringing out in a steadily timed rhythm. Luther led Adelise as they followed the sound of the hammer, with Ardent staying behind to close the log gate via a series of pulleys and levers that was set near the gate. Inside the steel forge were two more wolf men, one with a darker greyish-brown coat of fur beneath his black and yellow robes, bright green eyes, and a streak of white in the long black hair they had tied behind their head. The other wolf (the one that was actually working at the forge) had a more chocolatey brown pelt, marbled with stripes of black around the edges of a bright cream-colored underbelly. His ears and lower jowl both sported silver piercings, as well as the edge of his left brow, barely visible beneath the fringe of ginger-red hair that peeked beneath the scarlet headscarf he wore. He was also shirtless, Adelise realized, with a thick chest of wild but soft-looking fur covering the entirety of his torso.

The green-eyed wolf turned to Luther and Adelise as they entered the forge. “Luther, you’re back. I trust all went well down in the village?” He spoke with a polite and formal-sounding tone, and Adelise sensed an air of orderly respect from him.

“I suppose so,” Luther half shrugged before turning the other wolf’s attention down to the human girl. “Vex, this is my bride, Adelise. Adelise, this is Vex. He’s what your kind would call my “right hand,” I believe is the term?”

Vex tilted his head with a friendly looking smile at Adelise. “I simply look after the fort whenever Luther is attending to other business. He’s our true leader, you see; We all look to him for guidance and order in the pack. You’re very fortunate to have a wolf like him as your to-be husband.”

“You don’t say,” Adelise said flatly. She still refused to be impressed by the wolves, even if they had all seemed friendly enough thus far.

“I understand if this might all come as a bit of a shock to you,” Vex continued, “As we wolves tend to be rather solitary compared to you humans. But we all look out for each other in the pack, which now includes you. If you ever need anything while Luther isn’t available, you are more than welcome to come and ask me for help.”

“Better him than me,” The third wolf spoke up at last, ceasing the swings of the hammer as he set aside the steel breastplate he had been working over. “Nothing personal, lass, but I have a lot on my plate already. I can’t afford to have my concentration broken all the time.”

“... That would be Axel,” Vex spoke after making a sound that sounded like him clearing his throat. “He’s a bit rough to deal with, but he’s dedicated to his craft. He’s responsible for all the steelwork used within our tribe. Despite what he says, though, you can come to rely on him too.”

“Aye aye,” Axel muttered noncommittally as he turned his attention back to his work.

“Is there anything else I should know before I… settle in?” Adelise asked Vex.

“I don’t know… we don’t want to overwhelm you on your first night here,” Vex hummed. “I assume you already know what’s expected of you as a wolf bride?”

“‘I’ve heard the story since I was a kid. I’m supposed to become Luther’s wife, right?”

“To put it simply, yes… However, since you’ll be marrying our chieftain, that means you’ll be taking on some responsibilities of the pack as well. But don’t worry, there will be plenty of time to prepare you for the role while also preparing for your wedding. Luther can even teach you personally.”

That sounded like a poor idea to Adelise, seeing as she wanted very little to do with the wolf as possible. Luther seemed to be holding his tongue on the matter, so Vex excused the both of them to go and help Adelise settle into her new home before dinner.

Once more Adelise and Luther walked in silence, entering the main hall of the fort. She could see a fifth wolf, his pelt black as night all over except for the bright fringe of light blonde hair between his half-notched ears, working away at the fire pit that was built into the center of the hall. He didn’t say anything as they passed by, though Adelise caught his eyes wandering up to glance at them before quickly looking away.

Luther led her up the landing to the second floor, down a hall on the right side to one of the doors. “This will be your room,” he said as he produced an iron key and placed it in her hand. “Vex suggested that we give you a space for yourself as you settle in.”

Adelise looked between Luther and the key wordlessly before she opened the door, looking inside. The furniture inside was all hand crafted from logs and other resources natural to the mountainous woods, with animal pelts and feathers making up most of the decor. A firewood stove sat in one corner of the room, quietly burning away the cold weather from outside.

It was different from her room back home. Her expression darkened slightly as she took a step inside the room, feeling more and more homesick without the familiar homemade vases filled with wildflowers or the sound of her brothers bickering through the walls. This place was too big and too empty, yet she felt as though she were suffocating.

“Adelise,” Behind her, Luther spoke up from her doorway. “Dinner will be ready soon. If you want to wash up first, I can show you where--”

“Don’t.” Adelise suddenly snapped, keeping herself turned away from the wolf. “Just. Don’t. Don’t try and talk to me, don’t try to help me, and don’t bother calling me by my name. Haven’t you already done enough, taking me from my home, bringing me here and forcing me to be your bride?? I never asked for this; The only reason I’m here is because of that stupid tradition!

Tears stung at the corner of her eyes, and she fought to keep her voice even as she felt her throat clench. “So you can just go. Go away and leave me alone.”

The silence that fell upon them was a heavy one, and it seemed to hang over Adelise’s head for ages before she heard the door creak behind her. Just faintly, she could hear Luther say “Sorry,” before the door finally closed. With the wolfman gone, Adelise finally let herself fall onto the bed of furs, dropping her bag of things onto the floor. She sobbed into the pillows, letting out the repressed cries she had been holding back since that morning where no one had to hear them.

\--

Luther stood outside the door of Adelise’s room for a moment, sighing heavily to himself before he returned to the landing. His footsteps were heavy as he walked down the stairs to the dining hall, where he saw Vex and Fang working to set the dining benches for dinner. Vex looked up at him, his gaze expectant.

“How did it go with Adelise?”

“... She’s unhappy.” Luther shook his head, solemn. “I think she hates me for bringing her here. She doesn’t want me to talk to her, or even want to look at me.”

Vex’s face fell as his brow creased with worry. “Really? That is troubling… Did you get a chance to explain yourself, at least?”

“I didn’t want to risk making her more upset. She feels… very strongly about the courtship tradition of our kind.”

“I’m aware that most humans don’t share our beliefs… but even so, I had thought that being alone with you would help to trigger something.” Vex hummed thoughtfully. “We’ll have to be very careful going forward.”

“Do you think I made a mistake, Vex? Was I wrong to bring her here so soon?” Luther asked, looking to the darker wolf with uncertainty.

Vex shook his head. “You did what you felt was the right course of action, Luther. I’m certain things will work themselves out, if we give them time. All things happen when they happen for a reason.” He clapped a paw on the chieftain wolf’s shoulder. “For now, you should rest and have something to eat. I’ll bring the little lady her share of dinner later.”

With another resigned sigh, Luther sat at the head of the table. Fang, the black wolf from before, appeared soon after with a stein of mead for him. Luther sipped at the drink as his troubled mind wandered back to his furious bride-to-be, his heart feeling heavier in his chest with each passing moment. He wanted to make things up to her, somehow; he just hoped that she wouldn’t come to hate him.


End file.
